


What Can You Do About It?

by Still_Dreamin



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-25
Updated: 2015-05-25
Packaged: 2018-04-01 03:13:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4003705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Still_Dreamin/pseuds/Still_Dreamin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn leaves One Direction.</p><p>Theories fly, still, no one knows why. </p><p>What really happened?</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Can You Do About It?

**Author's Note:**

> The theory that this fic is based on was made by my friend Lucy, aka @lgbtzayn on twitter. Idea credits to her! Hope you all enjoy.
> 
>  
> 
> This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

"How'd your appointment go?" Liam claps Zayn on the back as he enters the hotel room.

"Good, good," Zayn shrugs him off, "It went well. I'll be getting my results tonight," Zayn strips off his flannel and lies back on Liam's bed in his tank, "Probably after the show."

"Hong Kong," Liam quietly cheers, "Maybe later we can check out the city?"

Zayn snorts, "Yeah, if we can get out of the hotel without the fans figuring out it's us."

"It's not like they'll know where we're going, though," Liam sits down next to Zayn, "We'll take Niall and Louis with us. Harry already said he plans on spending his night with Gemma."

"Of course, he has Gemma here," Zayn sighs, "Must be nice to have one adult sibling you can see all the time. I've got three sisters, and two of them are kids. I can't fly them everywhere."

"Awe, is Zaynie missing his family?" Liam coos, reaching over and ruffling Zayn's long hair.

"No, bro!" Zayn rolls away, "It actually gets tangles in it now."

"Awe, does it?" Liam shifts closer and continues assaulting Zayn's hair.

"Bro!" Zayn rolls over again and ends up falling off the bed, "Ow, look what you've done now," Zayn says, sitting up and peeking at Liam over the edge of the bed.

"Baby, look what you've done now," Liam sings, shooting his eyebrows up then down again as he bursts into laughter.

"No, Liam," Zayn shakes his head.

The door swings open and in walks Niall in a Chinese robe, "Look at me," He grins, "I could be Chinese. I think, I could pass for Chinese!"

Zayn and Liam make eye contact and shake their heads.

"Should I tell him?" Liam asks Zayn.

Zayn nods.

"You will never pass for Chinese, you're as European as they get," Liam tells Niall.

"What do you mean?" Niall frowns, "There's really pale Chinese people, too. This could work."

"Something tells me it won't," Zayn shakes his head.

"What are you doing on the floor?" Niall changes the topic, "I know you like staying grounded, but that grounded?" He bursts out laughing at his own lame joke.

Liam and Zayn can't help but laugh along. It's something about living with a person that makes their happiness infectious. One smile from a family member and everyone's smiling. Not that the boys are actually a family, but it sure feels like they are.

"Hey, do you want to go out?" Zayn asks Niall.

"The show is in four hours," Niall shakes his head, "We're leaving for the stadium in one hour. What are you talking about?" He goes over and flops onto the bed.

"Not now, idiot," Liam smacks Niall's shoulder, "After the show."

"Yeah," Niall practically shouts, "Get Louis as well, Harry's staying with Gemma."

"We know," Zayn bounces up off the floor and lands on the bed, legs on top of Niall's.

"Where are they now?" Liam asks, no doubt referring to Louis and Harry.

"With Gemma," Niall shrugs, "I was just there. Gemma is so fit, bro."

Liam and Zayn make eye contact again and grin.

"She looks just like Harry," Zayn says.

"I know," Niall replies.

Liam and Zayn burst out laughing.

"Harry is attractive, at least I'll admit it!" Niall punches Zayn, sending him rolling off the bed again.

Stuff happens. What can you do about it?

***

"Amazing show!" Niall cheers backstage, "That was great!"

"It was a smaller venue," Harry mentions as he pulls his hair up into a bun, "Lads, I'm off."

"Yeah, yeah, sibling bonding time," Louis rolls his eyes, "Get out of here, Harold. The lads and I are gonna have a lad night!"

"Lad night," Liam cheers, holding out a fist to Louis.

"Fist bumps aren't cool, man," Louis shakes his head and leaves Liam hanging.

Zayn steps in front of Liam, "Bump," He quietly says, bumping his fist against Liam's.

Liam's eyes scrunch up as he smiles at Zayn.

"Zayn," Lou walks up to the boys, "We got your medical report if you want to look at that."

"Thanks, Lou, is it back at the hotel?" Zayn asks.

Liam walks up to Zayn and throws his arm around Zayn's skinny shoulders.

"Yeah, it's at the ho-" Someone shouts Lou's name and Lou spins back toward the noise, "-tel. Sorry, bye."

"Bye, thank you," Zayn waves at Lou as she jogs off.

"Let's go take a look at that, yeah?" Liam squeezes Zayn's arm.

"Yeah, c'mon lads let's get out of here and change for the night out!" Zayn calls back to the other two boys.

"Lads!" Louis whoops and runs off in front of them, "Last one in the van is a spoiled egg!"

"Louis," Niall extends out the 'e' as he rushes off behind Louis on his skinny legs.

"Together?" Liam grins at his friend.

"As always," Zayn wraps his arm around Liam's waist and they stumble off, laughing.

"Careful, you look a lot like a couple," Harry's cheeky voice calls behind them, "And the fans already know about the kiss!"

"Haha," Zayn holds up his middle finger as they walk away.

Liam and Zayn are just friends. Sure sometimes they've made out and spent weeks questioning their sexuality but Liam has a girlfriend and Zayn has a fiancé. They're just friends that may like kissing in a drunken state.

Stuff happens. What can you do about it?

***

"Listen, lads," Louis announces when the boys are in their hotel, "You have thirty minutes to get dressed and have your arse in my room," Louis spins around and faces the boys, "Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," The three boys reply in unison.

"Away!" Louis dashes off down the hallway and slams his door closed.

Zayn swaggers off into his room and kicks the door shut behind him. The report is set under a glass on his side table. He sighs and picks it up, flopping back onto the white hotel sheets.

He's probably developed asthma. That's what the reports will probably say. He's going to have to get an inhaler and give up smoking. God, he'll have to opt smoking weed for weed brownies now.

Zayn flips open the report and scans his eyes down to the highlighted diagnosis. His mouth falls open and he reads through the diagnosis ten times. This can't be real.

A knock sounds at Zayn's door, "Zayn!" It's Niall, "Can I come in?"

Zayn clears his throat, "What do you want, bro?"

"A black shirt, c'mon man," Niall knocks again.

Zayn shoves the report under his pillow and stands up to get the door, "Just a black shirt?" Zayn asks as he swings the door open to reveal a shirtless Niall.

"Yup," Niall sidesteps Zayn, "Hey, did you get your medical report back?"

Zayn doesn't answer.

"Is everything alright?" Niall swings a shirt on and strolls back toward Zayn.

Zayn nods, "Yeah, I'll be fine. Get out of here you loser," he ruffles Niall's hair.

Niall just furrows his brow, "What did the report say?"

"Nothing, bro," Zayn smiles, "I'd tell you if something was wrong."

Niall smiles, "Yeah, you would," He pulls Zayn in for a hug.

When Niall leaves, Zayn shuts the door and swallows. This is not happening. He quickly rushes back to his bed and picks up the file to read over it again. He obviously misread, this cannot be his diagnosis. But when he looks at the highlighted words, they're still the same. Zayn collapses onto the floor and sits there, staring at the diagnosis and willing it to change. It doesn't.

Stuff happens. What can you do about it?

***

It's not until Louis shouts at Zayn to hurry up that Zayn pushes himself off the floor. He quickly tosses the report under his pillow and changes his shirt. He'll just go out with his best mates and have a great time. That's all that matters right now. That's all that has ever mattered.

But all throughout the night, Zayn just doesn't act like himself. And Liam, being as caring as he is, picks up on it in a second. Liam waits for the right moment to ask. Then, when alcohol seems to have replaced all the blood in Zayn's veins, Liam leans over and asks him the question.

"What did your report say?" He whispers, right in Zayn's ear.

The music is loud and Zayn's grin is infectious when he spins his head around to look Liam in the eyes. Liam smiles back, unsure. When Zayn speaks, it's not the words that Liam hears. It's Zayn's lips that Liam reads. His drink drops from his hand, the sound of breaking glass smothered by loud bass. And it's as if that's a metaphor. Here Liam is, feeling his entire world fall apart, and around them, the party goes on, the world keeps turning, it's as if nothing has changed.

Zayn throws his head back and laughs hysterically. He screams the word now and Liam finally hears him say it.

Behind Zayn, Niall's head snaps up. He roughly spins Zayn around. Words are exchanged and suddenly, Niall is crying. Thick tears roll down his cheeks as he stares at Zayn, expressionless.

Louis is in the middle of the dance-floor when he spots Niall crying. He shoves his way out of the crowd and runs over. He shakes Niall's shoulder, asking him what's wrong. Niall simply points at Zayn. Louis raises an eyebrow and Zayn shouts it out loud.

Louis shakes his head, eyes locking with Liam's.

Liam swallows the lump in his throat and glances away.

Louis spins around, and throws up. People scurry out of his way. The boys just sit there, dazed. 

When Louis turns toward them again, eyes rimmed red and lips quivering, he grabs Zayn's hand and drags him toward the exit. Niall and Liam follow close behind.

The boys head straight to the hotel, right to Zayn's room. They grab Harry from the hotel bar and drag him along. Zayn flops onto his bed and chucks the file at Harry. A drunken grin still dancing across his lips.

Harry's eyes go wide when he reads the file. His breath is gone and he drops the file, fumbling in his pocket for the inhaler he never keeps with him.

Louis runs out of the room as Harry collapses to the ground, Niall and Liam on either side of him. The little one rushes back in with the pump and kneels beside the three boys.

Zayn sits up and stares at them, the smile wiped off his face.

Harry glances up with teary eyes and reaches out a hand. Zayn slides off the bed and they huddle together on the floor.

Zayn has lung cancer.

Stuff happens. What can you do about it?

***

The next morning, as if he were discussing what to order for breakfast, Zayn tells the boys he's going back home. He can get a treatment started there. The report did say a treatment might not work at this stage, but it didn't rule it out. Zayn just needs to get to the best doctor and things will work out.

Zayn leaves that day. News spreads like crazy all across the globe. Why is Zayn Malik leaving in the middle of a tour? Cancer? How can he tell his millions of fans he's got cancer? Management says they'll cover it. They tell everyone Zayn is taking a break to spend time with his family, he needs a break from the tour because of mental health reasons.

Zayn gets home and his family comes to pick him up. He can't help that he rushes into his mum's arms crying. It's not that Zayn fears death. It's that he fears the hurt his death will cause so many people. His family, his best mates, his fans... He'd hurt so many people just by ceasing to exist. He doesn't want them to hurt.

A day later, Zayn goes off to see an old friend. He's going to record a song for the fans. One last word to them. "I Won't Mind." He'll just let them know that he's always loved them and if he had a choice... He wouldn't leave.

He shaves his hair. It'll be falling out with chemo anyway. But the fans can't know that. So, he shaves his hair and makes it look like a purposeful new look.

Zayn stands in front of the mirror and runs a hand over his prickly head. There goes the hair he'd been growing out for months.

Management, trying to be helpful to Zayn, send out the news that Zayn Malik has left the band. Now, Zayn can take as long as he may need. No one will question him, right?

But, no. They do. All that the fans do is question. And Zayn can't tell them. So, he doesn't say anything.

He goes to the Asian awards with his mum. Zayn loves her the most in the whole world.

Zayn's always wanted to get married in Paris. That can't happen now. But he still goes there with his family. They have a dinner in the Eiffel tower. His fiancé pretends nothing is wrong. His sisters pretend nothing is wrong. His parents pretend nothing is wrong. Zayn texts the boys under the table and tells them nothing is wrong.

Stuff happens. What can you do about it?

***

Two months have passed, now. The fans seem to be getting over it. Rumors of a solo career are flying. The demo released in a fake twitter fight blazed through the fans like fire. Zayn is there. The boys are here. They're not five anymore. They are four and one. The media has calmed down. The boys are back in the UK. Zayn has been living with his family all this while, family gets you through stuff.

The boys are all gathered at Zayn's parent's house when Zayn comes back after a chemo session.

"Lads!" Zayn shouts when he sees them. He looks paler and thinner. But his face lights up in a squinty eyed smile as soon as he sees his four brothers sprawled across his parent's couches.

Niall is the first to jump up and hug Zayn. He doesn't ask how everything is going. How do you ask your best mate about his chemo sessions?

None of the boys mention it. Zayn doesn't feel bad that they don't. He knows they're trying to give him a normal day and help him to just chill.

They all pretend to not notice when Zayn's sisters get home from school and constantly stick by his side. They all act like they don't see the way Zayn's parents look at him. As if it's the last time they'll be seeing him, as if their hearts are linked to his and if anything were to happen to him...

His family gradually shifts out of the living room the five boys are in, knowing they also need some time together. After all, the boys are only here for a few weeks before the tour starts up again and they have to make time between their busy schedules to come here for him.

They all crack jokes. Louis pretends he doesn't notice how cold Zayn's hand feels against his arm. Harry pretends Zayn's hollow laugh is genuine. Niall goes to the bathroom and comes back laughing, pretending he didn't just cry in there. Liam pretends he isn't avoiding looking into Zayn's eyes. And Zayn, Zayn pretends he can't see right through them.

When Zayn doubles over, gasping in a fit of coughs, the boys panic and rush to his side. 

Harry grabs an inhaler out of his pocket and pumps it into Zayn's mouth. Zayn puts his hand on Harry's, caramel eyes meeting green, knowingly.

Harry never carries an inhaler for himself. If he has one now, it's because he purposely brought it incase Zayn were to need it.

Stuff happens. What can you do about it?

***

The boys carry on their tour.

When Liam checks his phone and rushes off stage in the middle of "You and I" with a shout, the boys tell the fans that he'll be back. They wait. Liam doesn't come back, they get instructions to get backstage sent in through their earpieces. The boys tell the Belgium crowd they'll be right back and jog backstage. 

Once backstage, a hysterically sobbing Liam shouts at them to hurry up. They have to get back to Zayn, now.

Zayn needed to be drove off to a hospital in an ambulance. He woke up in the middle of the night, wheezing, unable to breathe.

The boys don't get to London till the early morning hours. By then, everything is fine. Zayn is breathing, even if it's by the help of an oxygen mask.

When they enter his room, Zayn gives a weak smile, "What's happening, lads?" He calls out in his Bradford accent, voice weak and soft.

The fans are confused and of course, management concocts up more lies to feed them because the truth is confidential.

"Why can't we tell them?" Harry questions, angrily.

"Because, they need to hate me," Zayn replies, "I want them to hate me."

"Why would you want that?" Louis softly coos.

"Because, I don't want them to hurt incase I-" Zayn can't even say the word.

"They don't hate you," Niall speaks, numbly staring at Zayn's hand which he's clutched onto, "They could never hate you. Not the real fans, Zayn," Niall looks up and locks eyes, "They promised they'd be here till the end, whatever the end may be. They don't care if it looks like you've left, they're still there with their hearts out on their sleeves for you."

Zayn looks away and toward Liam, who has his back to the bed and is staring out the window. What did he do to deserve all this love? And what did he do to have to deserve not being able to repay love with love? Liam turns around with bloodshot eyes and shoots Zayn a soft smile. Zayn grips Niall's hand tightly, it's all he can do to keep from crying.

Stuff happens. What can you do about it?

***

It's December, now. Zayn still isn't better. The boys have one live, holiday interview in New York City and then, they're going on break. 

The interviewer makes a mistake. He brings up Zayn after all these months. The boys answer his questions as well as they can. Mainly, Harry and Liam do and Louis and Niall stare at the ground. 

"He's looking quite skinny, we got a picture of Zayn this week," The interviewer says, "Very ski-"

"Not our problem that you're obese, pal," Louis speaks up.

Niall and Harry smirk at that.

The interviewer laughs off Louis' comment and continues, "Do you think it has to do with substance ab-"

The interviewer hasn't even finished the word when Niall jumps out of his seat and punches him in the jaw, "How dare you talk shit, you inconsiderate fuck!"

Harry and Liam grab his arms as people run onto the set. Louis grabs Niall by the waist as he struggles to release himself.

"Let me go! I'm going to kill him!" Niall thrashes against the boys hold in vain, "You don't know Zayn!" Niall lets out a sob, "How dare you?" He gives up and sinks to the floor, the three boys going down with him, "How dare you, you insignificant scum?"

"Turn off the cameras!" Louis shouts. 

But the camera people shift to get a better view of Niall's breakdown.

Louis goes up and roundhouse kicks a camera to the floor, smashing it, "I said, turn off the damn cameras!"

The cameras are shut off.

"I want to go," Niall says.

"We're going," Liam hugs Niall and stands him up. 

"Let's go to Zayn," Harry whispers, his own eyes tearing up, "We should go home to Zayn."

Stuff happens. What can you do about it?

***

It's a long two years that Zayn spends fighting the disease. When it's all over, the boys release the full version of Zayn's song. Finally, the fans know. Everyone knows. Everything seems more balanced now that the truth is out.

It's a Saturday evening today, the boys are all heading out to meet up with Zayn. The sun is out in London, lovely day for a picnic, which is exactly what the boys have planned.

They pull up to the hill in one car and unload it. They're all wearing one of Zayn's shirts. Each one holds a different memory of when it used to be the five of them on tour. The five of them all over the world. The five of them, together.

"Zayn, we missed you," Niall shouts, sprinting up the hill with the picnic blanket in his hands.

"Wait for us," Louis yells, running after him with the food.

Harry grabs the cooler, full of drinks and bounds off as well, "Here I come!"

Liam wraps a red scarf around his neck, a gift from Zayn many years back. He locks the car and trudges up after the boys.

Finally, after another world tour done by the four of them, all five boys are together. They're strongest like this, together. 

Liam reaches the top of the hill, and there they all are. Louis, Harry, Niall and Zayn. Liam smiles to himself as he walks closer to Zayn. He sits down beside him and runs his hand over the cold gravestone, "I've missed you, my friend."

Stuff happens. What can you do about it?

***


End file.
